AI Challenge 2026

Applied AI for Real Impact

Canadian providers of AI products, services, and solutions are invited to participate in the AI Challenge: Applied AI for Real Impact, an initiative of ALL IN 2026 developed in collaboration with BMDS and de:hub, two leading organizations within Germany's innovation ecosystem.

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AI Challenge: Applied AI for Real Impact

Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming the way organizations operate, deliver services, and address complex societal challenges. While AI's potential is widely recognized, the greatest value comes from solutions that have moved beyond experimentation and are already delivering measurable results in real-world environments.

This challenge aims to identify and showcase artificial intelligence solutions already delivering measurable economic, social, environmental, or operational impact. Through a live presentation format, selected organizations will demonstrate how their AI solutions address real-world challenges and accelerate AI adoption across industries and public services.

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Applications Close on July 24, 2026

Why Participate in the AI Challenge

Selected organizations will benefit from:

Two individual passes granting access to both days of ALL IN 2026
The opportunity to present their solution to expert, partners, and strategic decisions-makers
Evaluation by a committee composed of industry experts, technology leaders, public-sector representatives, and researchers
Potential collaboration opportunities with Canadian and international organizations
Direct exposure to German innovation ecosystems and industry leaders through the challenge's international partners, creating opportunities for cross-border collaborations and market expansion
Increased visibility among leaders of the Canadian and global AI ecosystem
Additional exposure through ALL IN promotional communications before, during, and after the event

Applications close on July 24, 2026

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Use Cases

Organizations across industries and public sectors are increasingly facing complex challenges related to productivity, operational efficiency, workforce capacity, sustainability, service delivery, infrastructure management, and decision-making.

In this context, artificial intelligence represents a strategic opportunity to improve organizational performance, accelerate innovation, optimize resource allocation, and generate measurable economic, social, and environmental outcomes.

The challenge seeks practical AI solutions addressing real-world challenges across a variety of sectors, including:

Industry & Manufacturing
Public Services & GovTech
Health & Life Sciences
Sustainability & Energy
Business & Process Transformation

The solutions sought may fall within one or more of the following application areas:

Workflow automation and operational efficiency
Knowledge management and organizational intelligence
Predictive analytics and decision support
Supply chain optimization and logistics management
Manufacturing performance and industrial operations
Public service modernization and citizen service delivery
Healthcare operations, diagnostics, and patient care
Climate resilience, sustainability, and environmental management
Energy optimization and resource efficiency
Infrastructure monitoring and predictive maintenance
Workforce productivity and talent enablement
Risk management and business continuity
AI adoption, deployment, and organizational transformation
Responsible AI, governance, privacy, and compliance
Integration with enterprise systems, operational technologies, sensors, connected devices, and data platforms

Submitted proposals must demonstrate measurable benefits for organizations, communities, customers, or public institutions, as well as the solution's reliability, scalability, adaptability, and potential for deployment in real-world environments. Particular attention will be given to solutions that have already demonstrated impact through pilots, customer deployments, or operational implementations.

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Selection Criteria

AI Solution Criteria

Performance and reliability of the AI solution
Technological maturity and readiness for deployment
Quality and relevance of the use case
Scalability across sectors and geographies
Adaptability to different operational contexts
Security, privacy, ethics, and responsible use of data

Business Model Criteria

Demonstrated impact on the identified challenge
Potential for operational improvement or cost reduction
Clarity of the business and commercialization model
Competitive differentiation
Ease of adoption and deployment
Environmental and social benefits
Contribution to the broader AI ecosystem

Additional Criteria

Ability to present the solution in person at ALL IN 2026
Strength and expertise of the team
Existing pilots, customers, or deployment environments
Clear articulation of measurable outcomes and impact

Applied AI for Real Impact

AI Challenge: Timeline

July 24, 2026 - Proposal submission deadline

End of August 2026 - Announcement of selected organizations

September 16-17, 2026 - AI Challenge: Applied AI for Real Impact

Objectives and Requirements

To be eligible for this call for applications, submitted proposals must meet the following objectives:

Identify AI solutions already generating measurable real-world impact
Accelerate AI adoption across industries and public services
Showcase practical use cases rather than theoretical concepts
Foster collaboration between startups, industry, researchers, and public organizations
Strengthen international cooperation between AI ecosystems

Eligible organizations include:

Startups, SMEs, and large enterprises
Applied research and innovation centers
Consortia or partnerships between multiple organizations

Applicants must demonstrate their ability to develop, integrate, or deploy a technological solution. Organizations must be Canadian.

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